According to the Illinois Department of Unemployment Security (IDES), fraudulent unemployment claims are on the rise. Many of you know someone who has been a victim of this scheme, or have been a victim yourself. The scammers use stolen names and social security numbers to file fraudulent unemployment claims. You may be notified by […]
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The COVID19 pandemic has led to many creative phishing attacks such as phony offers for free testing, claims that you have come in contact with an infected person, and even accusations that you have violated health and safety protocols. Scammers have come up with yet another Coronavirus-themed attack. This time, they are taking advantage of […]
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Check out the following information from the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) on how Scammers are taking advantage of your generosity by using false “charities”. Wildfires raging out West. The hurricane season. Civil unrest. And all of this happening during a global pandemic that has claimed its own devastating share of deaths and cost people their […]
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From the Office of the Department of Justice, phone scams targeting the elderly are on the rise. See the article below directly from their news release. The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the […]
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There has recently been an increase in reports of scammers calling, emailing, or texting unsuspecting individuals demanding payments by gift card. They could be posing as an IRS representative, collecting back taxes or fines; tech support asking for money to fix your computer, or even a family member in an emergency with urgent need for […]
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The coronavirus pandemic continues to impact organizations across the globe. This hardship gives cybercriminals the perfect bait: a promise of financial relief. Currently, cybercriminals are impersonating the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) with a very convincing phishing email. While this specific scam targets organizations in the US, this tactic could be used in any […]
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We live in an app-based world. From laptops to smart TVs, applications are used nearly everywhere. Learning which apps are safe can be tricky as cybercriminals continue to find new ways to exploit your trust. The latest scam involves third-party apps that request unusual permissions. Users are easily fooled into downloading these third-party apps because […]
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***NOTICE TO RESIDENTIAL LOAN CUSTOMERS*** Recently a Company named US HOME GUARD LLC had been sending letters to our residential loan customers regarding Home Warranty Sales. The advertisements appear that Murphy-Wall State Bank and Trust is either sending the ad, in cooperation with the company, or supporting the company. We can assure you this is […]
Read MoreBe on the lookout for a new sophisticated phishing extortion scam. In this scam, the bad guys claim to be from your local state police and say they have some incriminating information about you. Since they are retiring, they generously offer to delete the evidence in exchange for 2000 bitcoin. It even includes a phone […]
Read MoreAlert! Internet criminals are sending a new phishing attack where they use a fake OneNote Audio Note as bait so they can trick you into giving up your Microsoft login information. The scam comes in the form of an email with the subject “New Audio Note Received”. It claims you have a new audio message […]
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If you’ve ever used social media to make a complaint about a company, you’d know that many organizations are quick to respond to this public expression. But have you ever stopped to question whether the account responding to your concern is really someone from the company? Recently, fraudsters have taken to social media platforms to […]
Read MoreAccording to recent reports, phishing attacks that use brand impersonation are at an all-time high. Cyber criminals are posing as familiar companies so they can trick you and get access to your account in order to steal sensitive data or target additional employees. Here’s how it typically happens: Attackers send you a standard-looking email […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are currently using fake legal threats to scare you into downloading their malicious attachments. These email scams typically inform you that your organization is going to be sued. You’re instructed to review the attached file for details and to respond within a few days or further action will be taken against you. […]
Read MoreIf you’re looking to stream or download blockbuster movies when they’re still in theaters, you probably shouldn’t. Why not? Well, first and foremost, this is called piracy and it is illegal. Secondly, any “free downloads” you do find will likely be a scam. Recently, a popular search engine result for Avengers: Endgame claims to offer […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are known to use holidays to try to get you to click on a dangerous link or download a malicious attachment. Whether you’re traveling this Memorial Day weekend, or staying home to take advantage of online shopping deals, be cautious when performing any types of online transactions. Be suspicious of any out-of-the-ordinary […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are developing malicious applications with the hopes of making their way into your mobile device’s app store –and sometimes they’re successful. Recently, over 100,000 people across the globe downloaded applications containing spyware from a reputable app store. According to researchers, this spyware steals personal information like your call logs, contacts, photo and […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are starting their tax scams early this season! All employees should look out for urgent emails and phone calls supposedly coming from the IRS or tax-related companies in the next few months. For all employees, if you receive a phone call from the IRS claiming you owe back taxes and must pay, […]
Read MoreExtortion scams are back and they are getting more and more dangerous. This time, the bad guys are sending out emails, claiming they have a video of you watching an inappropriate website and then prompting you to download that video and see it for yourself. But if you do, your computer gets infected with ransomware! […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are taking advantage of mobile shoppers this holiday season! By using mobile apps, they can trick you into giving your personal information or installing malware onto your smartphone. This can give them access to your credit card information or lock your smartphone with ransomware, forcing you to pay a fee to unlock […]
Read MoreIt may be the start of the Holiday Season but don’t think that means the bad guys are on vacation! Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the busiest online shopping days and the bad guys are out to get rich with your money. After all, ‘tis the season for scams and phishing. So how do […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are finding new ways to scam you on social media using your favorite celebrities. By using Twitter’s promoted tweet functionality, the bad guys are trying to trick you into thinking celebrities are “giving away” e-currency, such as bitcoin. The names of well-known celebrities will always show a blue checkmark next to their […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are changing their tactics and you need to be aware! They are now creating phishing sites that resemble the sign-in pages of popular companies. They will try anything to get you to authenticate on their fake site. Some phishing sites will even try to fool you by appearing in your: Pop-ups Ads […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are becoming even more deceptive with extortion scams. Now, they send you an email that appears to be coming from your own email and claim to have infected your computer with a backdoor. A backdoor allows the bad guys to take control of your computer. Next, they accuse you of watching mature […]
Read MoreDon’t be fooled! The bad guys are on social media and you need to be alert. Their latest trick involves misinformation and panic. It all starts when you receive a message from a Facebook “friend”. This friend claims they received another friend request from you. Then, they go on to explain that you’ve been hacked […]
Read MoreVishing scams are on the rise. Be aware of the common signs of a vishing attack to avoid becoming a victim. The latest attack goes like this: You receive a call from “Apple Care” claiming your iCloud information has been part of a data breach. The scammer asks you to log in to your computer […]
Read MoreThe bad guys have a new phone scam, and it’s vicious.They call you and claim to be from the local sheriff’s office. Then, they inform you of a warrant that’s been issued for your arrest. As a way to “help” you out, they agree not to arrest you if you pay a fine. Don’t be […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are getting creative with a new hybrid attack that involves CEO Fraud and gift card scams. There is a massive campaign underway where they impersonate an executive and urgently ask for gift cards to be bought for customers. Once the gift cards are physically bought from a store, the “boss” asks you […]
Read MoreStay alert! The bad guys are now using CEO fraud and Business Email Compromise attacks more than ever. These attacks take place when the bad guys impersonate executives within your organization via email and ask you to transfer them a large sum of money. They’re trying to manipulate you – don’t fall for it! Instead, […]
Read MoreBe extra cautious! The bad guys are using foreign characters to create phishing websites that spoof popular brands (Example: micròsoft.com instead of microsoft.com). Then, they use these websites to trick you into providing your personal information. The latest phishing website scam is a contest for you to win “free tickets” from well-known airlines. They ask […]
Read MoreThe bad guys aren’t limiting their scams to just your email account – they’re attacking you via social media, too! They create a fake profile and request to be your friend, or send you a message. They come off as wanting to be friends (in some cases, maybe even more), but what they really want […]
Read MoreBe on alert! The bad guys have a new way of stealing your login credentials. They target you by sending you an invite via email to open a SharePoint document. The link takes you to an actual SharePoint page where you will see a OneDrive prompt. The prompt will have an “Access Document” link in […]
Read MoreThe bad guys have hit a new low – they are using extortion to take advantage of you. Extortion is a serious internet crime that can lead to devastating consequences for victims. The latest twist on extortion occurs when someone threatens to distribute compromising content of yours if you do not satisfy their demands, which […]
Read MoreThe bad guys know you like free stuff, but this time it’s going to cost you! They lure you to a fake website for a “free” gift card in exchange for seemingly harmless information. Once on the site, you are asked a series of questions. If you make it through all of the questions, you’ll […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are getting increasingly creative with CEO fraud and accounting scams. They are now impersonating executives within your organization and asking for financial reports, or asking employees in payroll to make changes to a bank account, or the email address in control of making edits to the bank account. These changes allow the […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are trying to trick you on your mobile device! Users are three times more likely to click on a suspicious link on their mobile device than on a desktop, and the bad guys are taking advantage of this. They will send you malicious links through email, social media (Facebook messenger), and text […]
Read MoreYou lose if you reuse! The bad guys are using your breached passwords to access your online accounts. Even if a data breach happened years ago, the bad guys will attempt to use your breached passwords across all of your online accounts to see if they will still work – scary! New research says more […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are using a new hybrid cyber attack to steal your private banking information. They place a Banking Trojan on your computer (most likely through email), and once you try to visit your bank’s website, it will redirect you to a malicious, look-alike page – this site is NOT your actual bank! From […]
Read MoreBe careful on social media! The bad guys have a new way of tricking you into giving them your personal information, and it’s called “angler phishing”. When you make a public complaint on a company’s social media page (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), the bad guys pretend to be a part of the company’s customer service team […]
Read MoreBe on the look out! The bad guys are using a new attachment type and it could reach your inbox. The attachments are Excel Web Query files and have an .IQY extension. If opened, they will attempt to steal your data! Remember, do not open attachments unless you have asked for it, or have verified with the […]
Read MoreThis week, news broke about two celebrity suicides: Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. The bad guys are going to exploit these deaths in a number of ways, so be careful with anything related to this sad news: emails, attachments, social media (especially Facebook), texts on your phone, anything. There will be a number of scams related to this, so […]
Read MoreHeads up! The bad guys are now trying to trick you into buying fake event tickets well above face-value. It’s happening right now with the World Cup, but can happen with any popular event. Here’s how it works: They get you by offering last-minute ticket deals on a phony website, and then steal your credit […]
Read MoreThe bad guys are at it, again! This time, they’re impersonating your co-worker and asking for you to send them their pay stubs. Don’t send this information! Leaking pay stubs can easily lead to identity theft and/or financial fraud. Individuals working in payroll are at high risk for this attack, but we all need to […]
Read MoreBe on the lookout for a new, Apple-flavored phishing email Scam of the Week. New European data privacy regulation is going into effect this week. It’s called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and bad guys are using it as bait in a variety of ways. This scam looks like it is from Apple and claims […]
Read MoreKnowBe4 Scam of the Week: Watch Out For Gmail Confidential Emails The bad guys have a new way to phish users, and you need to be on alert for this one! Gmail now allows a different way to send emails called Confidential Mode, and the bad guys are using it to send you malicious links. […]
Read MoreThere is yet another email scam you need to watch out for. New European data privacy regulation is going into effect on May 25th. It’s called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and bad guys are using it as bait by claiming you’re not compliant and in violation of this new regulation. Do not click on […]
Read MoreThere is a new email scam you need to watch out for. Bad guys are sending emails that have an archive file as an attachment. They often look like a voicemail message you have missed. Assume these attachment files are guilty until proven innocent! Do NOT click on the zip file to listen to the […]
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